Now uncreated universe, illumed
By that which God hath first created, sits
In heavy silence, void of music’s touch
And want of even sighs, breathless and dumb
Till with a booming rush fall waters pure
Crystalline and bright, sparkling with life
Reflecting silent slivers of gold light
Radiant from heavenly face divine.
Such waters fell upon the new formed earth
As someday would for dumb man’s flock divide
And crash back onto hard-hearted pursuit.
Such waters fell upon the virgin world
With such volume and such velocity
As never would be seen again by man
By God or angel fair, before or aft
The righteous son of Lamech and his sons
And two by two each yet uncreat’d thing
Should for his goodness life perpetuate
And find reward in covenantal seal
Of Iris’s train, and dove with hero’s branch.
Such waters came with overwhelming roar
That even angels stared in wonder dumb
And would with wonder dumb stare once again
When selfsame water poured upon the head
Of Son of God and Savior purify
On man’s behalf t’ begin his ministry.
And God said, “Let exist the firmament
To separate these waters pure and strong”
And waters did at His command divide.
Some sat under sky, and some above
With azure color to adorn the world.
With wonder the heavenly choir broke to praise
With harp and trumpet th’ grandeur of their God
The great creator of all things fine and fair.
And God saw all the work that he had done
And felt familiar satisfaction in
His heart of love, and grandly did declare:
“This all is good, and good that thee rejoice
The beauty of the work of my fair hands.”
He smiled upon his angel hosts and beck’d
Night from her shady hideaway to emerge.
And thus the day was done, the second day
And God’s great temple closer to complete.